The Tendo Dojo Murders
by Mike Fenton
Summary: The title pretty much says it all. Definitely not for kids.


The Tendo Dojo Murders  
  
[Disclaimer: These characters are the property of Rumiko  
Takahashi. This story has not been authorized nor will it  
likely ever be. I'm not making any money or promoting  
anything with this, so please don't sue me. This story  
contains some violent scenes so reader discretion is  
strongly advised.]  
  
  
Chapter 1: Fire  
  
  
The Cat Cafe was busy, the customers waiting a little longer  
than usual for their afternoon ramen. They were in no  
hurry--the weather outside had turned cold and rainy, and  
no one seemed particularly anxious to be back out in it.  
  
Nevertheless, when Shampoo entered, one customer recognized  
her and said, "Hey! Is anybody gonna serve us? Like  
today?"  
  
The customer cringed when she saw Shampoo's reaction. It  
was not anger or annoyance or even surprise. Shampoo simply  
looked _through_ her with the most empty expression she'd  
seen. The customer tried to go back to looking  
inconspicuous as Shampoo went to the kitchen.  
  
"How was your trip to China?" Cologne asked her, as Shampoo  
went to the kitchen.  
  
"No interesting happen," Shampoo muttered.  
  
At first, Cologne was indifferent to Shampoo's answer and  
was about to order Shampoo to work, when she noticed  
Shampoo's tone had been very flat. It was very unlike  
Shampoo to be so emotionless.  
  
Cologne studied Shampoo's posture and discovered Shampoo  
was very blank in her form and movements, as well.  
  
"Something on face?" Shampoo asked, looking around at a  
mirror.  
  
"Nothing," Cologne replied. "Just pick up some of these  
orders," she said, gesturing to several bowls of ramen.  
  
As Shampoo blankly turned and went to work, Cologne frowned  
and began to mutter to herself, wondering if Shampoo had  
found another magic artifact again.  
  
"I'm not getting involved this time," Cologne told herself,  
already beginning to finish her work there.  
  
***  
  
When Ranma and Akane entered the Cat Cafe, Akane seemed  
strangely cheerful as Ranma (girl-type and pouting a little  
bit) seemed strangely morose. They were soaking wet, and  
they took a moment to dry off near the entrance.  
  
"He said you were 'nice,'" Ranma said to Akane, somewhat  
pointedly.  
  
"I like a good downpour," Akane said, somewhat mysteriously--  
as if in reply to Ranma's statement. "I wouldn't want it to  
rain like that all the time."  
  
"Then you get all upset," Ranma added. "I thought you liked  
Ryoga."  
  
"I do like him," Akane said, turning and looking annoyed.  
  
"So you admit it!" Ranma said, trying to think of something  
to add to that.  
  
Shampoo appeared then, and beckoned to them from the  
kitchen. Shampoo then disappeared back into the kitchen.  
As Ranma and Akane started to follow her, Akane said,  
"Ranma, what is your problem?"  
  
"What ya mean?"  
  
"Why do you care if I like Ryoga or not? Don't tell me  
you're jealous!"  
  
Ranma made a sour face as they entered the kitchen and said,  
"Oh, please!"  
  
Akane stopped and looked in amazement, as Ranma continued  
pouting. "You don't see me gettin' all weepy just cause  
someone calls me 'nice.'"  
  
Ranma thought for a moment that she had gone too far,  
because Akane continued to look at Shampoo in astonishment,  
and Ranma had to do a double-take when she finally looked at  
Shampoo.  
  
"What's up?" Ranma asked them.  
  
Just before Ranma could see what the matter was, Shampoo  
turned and took a container from beside her. "I get this  
for Ranma," Shampoo said, rather unceremonious. "This water  
of nan-niichuan--spring drown man."  
  
Ranma nearly fainted from shock, then leaned close to Akane  
to ask, "Am I missing something? What was just happening?"  
  
"I don't know," Akane said. "Shampoo just had the most..."  
  
Akane gestured in that universal way that meant something  
one can't figure out a way to say, but by that time Ranma  
had finally absorbed the significant part of what Shampoo  
had just said.  
  
"Is this really?" Ranma asked, taking the container.  
  
"Yes," Shampoo said.  
  
Ranma, taking the container and immediately dumping the  
contents on herself, looked blissful as Shampoo suddenly  
seemed very serious.  
  
"I only ask one favor," Shampoo said. "Help get revenge for  
Shampoo..."  
  
Ranma, turning back to boy-type for good, said, "Oh, sure.  
Whatever..." Meanwhile, he grinned and rolled his eyes in  
pleasure and pinched himself to make certain he wasn't  
dreaming.  
  
Akane watched in growing disgust as Ranma began chuckling  
and Shampoo fell to her knees and started weeping. Akane  
took it in for a moment, then cleared her throat.  
  
Ranma looked at Akane and Akane gestured meaningfully at  
Shampoo with her eyes.  
  
"Huh?" Ranma asked. "Oh... What the--?"  
  
***  
  
_  
An evil chuckling filled the air, and it brought Shampoo  
around with a start.  
  
For some reason, Shampoo could not remember anything up to  
this moment from the time she had arrived in China.  
  
At first, she thought she was standing on a small island in  
the middle of the sea, but the smell of smoke brought her  
back to where she really was--that and a voice.  
  
"Shampoo!" the voice said. "Glad you could finally make  
it!"  
  
Shampoo looked around, searching for the voice, but all she  
could see were the smoking remains of the tribe. Everywhere  
she looked, she saw smoke and burned-out husks of what were  
houses and bodies. Here and there, some had fought in vain  
against some fearsome intruder.  
  
"Who?" she asked. "Who are you?"  
  
"The killer," the voice replied, matter-of-factly. "I am  
the homicidal maniac that caused all this destruction. What  
do you think of my work?"  
  
Shampoo searched again, but the voice may have as well been  
coming straight from out of the smoke-filled sky.  
  
"Like it?" the voice asked.  
  
Shampoo had no strength left to answer, as the figure  
suddenly emerged. It was nothing more than a hooded figure  
dressed all in black, holding a sword. He stood before her  
as if proudly displaying his talents before an appreciative  
audience--the sword leaning up against his shoulder in a  
haughty fashion, approaching arrogance.  
  
"You Amazons fight pretty good," he smoothly added. "I've  
got to admit." He paused for a moment in thought and said,  
"Nothing like myself, of course, but it was fun."  
  
Shampoo struggled, then managed to ask, "Why?"  
  
"Why?" the figure said. "Why did I let you live? Why did I  
kill them?" He thought for a moment, puzzling, then said,  
"I don't know. Mysterious, isn't it?"  
  
The figure paused for another moment, then started to leave  
again, "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to  
run. More people to kill..."  
  
Shampoo had no urge to stop him--no anger or fear. At the  
time, she didn't even feel resentment. There was only shock  
and a deep sense of emptiness where she had once had a  
village.  
_  
  
  
Chapter 2: Coward  
  
  
That evening, Ranma and Akane tried to explain some of this  
to their fathers and Akane's sisters, Nabiki and Kasumi.  
  
Soun, of course, did nothing but weep uncontrollably while  
Kasumi was stunned and Nabiki looked suspicious. Genma,  
however, seemed unaffected--shrugging everything off to  
continue eating.  
  
The Tendo living room was very still aside from the sound of  
the rain and Genma eating, and the others stopped to look at  
him.  
  
"What?" Genma said. "I think you people are all gullible.  
Especially you, boy," he said, turning to Ranma. "You'd  
believe anything someone said after curing you of that  
curse."  
  
"Don't sound so jealous," Ranma muttered.  
  
"Mr. Saotome?" Kasumi started.  
  
"How can you be so callous?" Akane said. "What if it had  
been one of us?"  
  
"But it wasn't," Genma replied. "Look, all I'm saying is,  
take another good look at this. Shampoo has no proof to  
back up her story. All we have is her word for it, and I  
saw nothing in the news."  
  
"Surely," Nabiki agreed, "there would be something on TV."  
  
"The Amazon tribe isn't exactly a recognized city," Ranma  
said.  
  
"Oh my," Kasumi said, agreeing. "That's right. Whatever  
happens there is a strict secret."  
  
"Still," Genma said, "it does seem suspicious that we  
wouldn't hear rumors."  
  
"So," Nabiki said, "what are you doing here, Ranma? Didn't  
you agree to go fight this mysterious man in black?"  
  
"Yeah," Ranma replied, "but Cologne insisted that I stay out  
of it."  
  
"She seemed to take offense at the idea when we told her,"  
Akane added. "I guess we shouldn't have told her, like  
Shampoo said not to."  
  
"So, Shampoo stayed behind?" Nabiki asked, a little  
nonplussed.  
  
"No," Ranma replied. "She threated to tear down the shops  
if she couldn't go along. She was getting pretty animated  
by that time."  
  
"We should do something," Soun said, finally daring to  
speak. "This is just so horrible!"  
  
"What can we do, Tendo?" Genma asked him. "I mean, it's not  
like the killer left a calling card."  
  
"But we can't just sit here, either," Soun whined. "We're  
martial artists! It's our duty to go after vicious  
criminals like that."  
  
There was another grim silence, as Nabiki paused in thought,  
Genma rolled his eyes in irritation, and the others glanced  
around at each other eagerly.  
  
"Our duty is to protect the innocent," Soun said.  
  
"I guess it's a matter of honor, Pop," Ranma added.  
  
Genma groaned and then said, "Oh, all right. Run off to  
China if you like, but leave me out of it."  
  
"Don't you want to visit the cursed springs?" Ranma prodded  
him.  
  
"Not if it means having to fight that old crone!" Genma  
replied. "If she said to stay here, she has a good reason.  
Just trust me, Ranma."  
  
"I agree," Nabiki said. "We don't even know if any of it is  
true."  
  
Ranma folded his arms and said, "I ain't stupid. I know  
what the old bag meant. She doesn't want us tromping  
through the scene of the crime like wild horses in a jewelry  
store. I ain't like that, though."  
  
Akane looked at Ranma doubtfully, and even Soun had to pause  
for a moment as Ranma cleared his throat and then continued.  
  
"Anyway, I believe Shampoo. The sooner we find this guy,  
the sooner we can kick his butt."  
  
Akane looked around and said, "Okay, Ranma, but how exactly  
are we going to find this guy?"  
  
"He could be anywhere in China by now," Nabiki said.  
  
"Or maybe not even in China," Genma added.  
  
Kasumi then thoughtfully said, "Excuse me, but isn't it true  
that the killer targeted the Amazon village? He spared  
Shampoo, but he said nothing about sparing Cologne. I think  
this is why Shampoo did not want her to know."  
  
"But," Nabiki said, "Shampoo said the killer knew her by  
name. If he knows her, then he must know Cologne."  
  
"Which must mean," Genma said, "that Cologne probably knows  
him. All the more reason not to get involved."  
  
"What do you mean, Pop?" Ranma asked.  
  
"Ranma," Genma said, adjusting his glasses, "think about it.  
If we go over there, it'll just be one misunderstanding  
after another. We don't know half the people that old mummy  
knows, so just stay out of it till she gets back. She won't  
be gone that long, anyway."  
  
Soun, at his wit's end, said, "Saotome! I can't believe  
what I'm hearing! This is all so...!" Soun then left the  
room, fuming as he went.  
  
"I gotta agree, Pop," Ranma said. "What's gotten into you?"  
  
"Since when are you so noble, Ranma?" Genma asked him.  
"Don't tell me you're doing this just for honor!"  
  
Genma glanced meaningfully at Akane, and that ended the  
argument immediately. Ranma got up and fumed his way out of  
the room.  
  
Kasumi sighed disappointedly and went to the kitchen as  
Akane and Nabiki studied Genma's devil-may-care attitude.  
  
"Amazing," Nabiki said. "Isn't it, Akane?"  
  
"What?" Akane said.  
  
"I mean," Nabiki explained, "what a little fear of death can  
do to someone."  
  
Akane innocently frowned and said, "No way. This isn't the  
first time Mr. Saotome has faced a real mass-murderer, is  
it?"  
  
Genma stopped and casually smiled--perhaps a little too  
casually, because he seemed to lose his balance for a  
moment. He then returned to eating silently, while Nabiki  
winked and Akane stared at him for a moment in shock.  
  
***  
  
Ranma was packing, and he glared daggers at Genma when Genma  
appeared. Genma therefore decided to go to the dojo for  
some meditation. Akane appeared a moment later, a little  
uncertain of herself.  
  
"Ranma," she said, "is this such a good idea? There really  
may be nothing you could do for Shampoo."  
  
Ranma stopped packing for a moment and considered, then  
continued packing. "You really think I'd back out at this  
point, Akane?"  
  
"No, I guess not."  
  
"Anyway," Ranma continued, setting his bags up neatly, "if  
I don't, Shampoo may hold it against me the rest of my  
life."  
  
Akane smiled and realized that this was something Ranma  
would never have done before they had met. Ranma never  
would have given Shampoo's concerns a second thought.  
  
"Pop's okay," Ranma said. "He's always like this. He has  
his pride, but it just takes a little encouragement. I'm  
taking him with me if I have to tie him up and drag him."  
Ranma looked at his things, folded his arms and considered  
for a moment. "Now..."  
  
"What?" Akane asked.  
  
"How in world am I going to--?" Ranma then suddenly hit his  
hand and said, "Ah! I got it!"  
  
Akane watched in amazement as Ranma took a sheet of paper  
and started writing.  
  
"Good ol' Kuno," Ranma said. "I can always count on the  
'Blue Thunder of Furinkan High.'" Ranma chuckled as he  
worked on the letter.  
  
"Kuno?" Akane muttered, looking at the letter. As she  
finished reading, she said, "You're crazy! No way that'll  
actually work!"  
  
"Trust me, Akane," Ranma said. "This'll work. I know that  
moron well enough. He's got this coming, too--now that I  
think about it." He tapped the letter and added, "This is  
perfect. I kill two birds with one--"  
  
Soun Tendo suddenly appeared and said, "Ranma! Ah, I knew  
you wouldn't abandon your duty! You make me so proud!"  
Soun put his arms around Ranma and Akane and said, "This is  
perhaps the finest day of this household! A day to  
remember! You two have my blessing to go together, of  
course."  
  
"I'm not takin' Akane, Mr. Tendo," Ranma said, narrowing his  
eyes at Soun. "This is a job for men."  
  
"Dad!" Akane added--thoroughly embarrassed, "Please!"  
  
***  
  
Not a moment of doubt came to Ranma until he entered the  
dojo, all packed and ready to travel about two thousand  
miles. It was a trip he'd made before a few times, after  
all.  
  
Seeing his father's serious bespectacled face, however, made  
him recoil with doubt--as if hearing Genma's thoughts.  
  
_Do really believe you can defeat a man who slew the entire  
village of Amazons and then casually bragged of it afterward  
to Shampoo?_  
  
"Hello, Ranma," Genma said. "Nice weather, huh?"  
  
"If you like rain," Ranma said. He glared back at Genma  
with as much ferocity as he could muster. _Are you a man or  
a panda? I honestly can't tell, anymore._  
  
"I find rain very soothing," Genma said. "Very calming."  
_If you're going, you're going alone._  
  
"Really?" Ranma said. "I've always hated it, but maybe I  
could learn to like it." _If I go by myself, I'm not coming  
back._  
  
***  
  
Nabiki was leaning up against the door, listening, as Kasumi  
and Akane stood nearby with Soun.  
  
"What are they saying?" Akane asked. "I can't hear a  
thing."  
  
"Something about the rain--" Nabiki said.  
  
***  
  
At this point, Ranma and Genma were in an all-out staring  
contest--neither one dared look away for a moment.  
  
_Don't kid yourself, Ranma. You're only a hero when it's  
convenient or necessary. This isn't your fight, so stay out  
of it._  
  
_As far as I'm concerned, Pop, I'm already there. The only  
question is whether I'm gonna drag you along with me._  
  
_If I let you drag me into this, you may as well just start  
ignoring me the rest of my life._  
  
_When have I ever listened to you?_  
  
Genma sighed and spoke, "Ranma, have you learned nothing all  
these years? A martial artist is always quick to defend and  
slow to attack, not the other way around."  
  
"Strategy?" Ranma said. "Is that all you can think about?"  
  
"I'm merely telling you what you should already be  
thinking," Genma said, getting seriously annoyed. "If it is  
possible to attack or to defend, which do you choose?"  
  
"This is stupid--"  
  
"Well? Attack or defend?"  
  
Ranma folded his arms and scowled. "I'm not arguing with  
you. You're either coming or you ain't."  
  
"I'm not, but neither are you."  
  
Ranma grimaced in anger as Genma continued.  
  
"The simple fact is that you're letting your anger get to  
you, and that is the first thing a fighter should never do.  
Stay within yourself. Everything you need is always with  
you."  
  
Genma got up and turned away, trying to wax as profound as  
possible for him.  
  
"Look ahead, but not too far," he said in his most  
instructive tone. "Discover in due time the weakness of  
your opponents on your own terms. Know your enemy and  
yourself."  
  
Ranma realized that he was fighting a losing battle.  
Thinking was never his strong point, and Genma was using up  
all his ammo.  
  
"Can you even be certain that there is only one enemy?"  
Genma asked. "Will Shampoo really want revenge when she  
discovers who it is? Even if you get revenge, will it  
really improve how anyone looks at you?"  
  
Ranma was never very good at arguments, but he could see  
right through Genma like glass. _Preach all you like. What  
you're really saying is that you're too afraid to face this  
fight like a man. Oh, well. I did my best._ Ranma then  
said, "All right, Pop. You win. You stay, and I go."  
  
Ranma got up to leave, and then shot back, "Pop, I'm just  
curious. Could you tell me something?"  
  
"What is it, Ranma?"  
  
"Were you born a coward or did you just decide to become  
one?"  
  
***  
  
The others flinched in shock--to hear Ranma's nasty tone--  
trying hard not to imagine how humiliated Genma must have  
been to have heard that to his face.  
  
***  
  
Genma merely smiled in a devious way as Ranma turned toward  
the door again. Just as Ranma was about to leave, Genma  
said, "Ranma, don't be foolish. You can't go now."  
  
Ranma, exhausted, turned and snarled, "Why not?!"  
  
"Because the last flight out to China left at six-thirty."  
  
Genma chuckled as Ranma stomped out the door, muttering,  
"Then I'll just swim!"  
  
  
Chapter 3: Flight  
  
  
The next morning, Kasumi was doing the usual water-ritual as  
Ranma descended from his tree to join the others at  
breakfast.  
  
Ranma was miserable, and his face was covered with scratch-  
marks from the tree bark and insect bites. This was nothing  
new, though. Ranma had often spent the night in the tree,  
on top of or underneath the house. He probably knew this  
place better than anyone.  
  
He stopped and paused for a moment, just outside the house.  
Ranma suddenly realized that this could be the last time  
he'd set foot inside, and it made him aware of how much he  
would miss it.  
  
He'd never had any doubts when he went to battle Saffron,  
but now he was almost certain he would leave forever--if for  
no other reason than pride.  
  
Kasumi noticed a sad expression on Ranma's face, and she  
said, "Oh, good morning, Ranma! Breakfast is ready!"  
  
And, with that, Ranma returned to the Tendo household one  
last time.  
  
***  
  
Ranma wasn't quite himself, though, and everyone else could  
sense it. Ranma was sullen and withdrawn, though everyone  
else seemed cheerful.  
  
They pretended not to notice, but Ranma could tell that they  
were aware and were trying not to show it--saying anything  
other than what a man's duty and honor demanded.  
  
Try as he might, Ranma could never recall exactly what was  
said, later--and it was a pity, because he would often long  
to remember what had been said.  
  
***  
  
At the Kuno residence, Tatewaki was in a similar mood--  
anxious and impatient with anyone who dared stand in his  
way for a moment.  
  
"Brother, dear," his sister Kodachi said, "why all this  
disturbance? It upsets Mr. Wolfman so."  
  
Kodachi held out a small hamster to her brother, and he  
seemed a bit surprised to see the thing trembling in  
Kodachi's grasp as Kodachi frowned childishly.  
  
"Begone, vile sister!" he said, taking a step back. He then  
thrusted a letter out toward her and explained, "There is a  
damsel in distress, and I have not a moment to spare!"  
  
Kodachi took the trembling hamster in one arm as she took  
the letter in the other hand, quickly investigating its  
contents.  
  
"To my dear Kuno," she read. "I've gone to China because  
something has upset me terribly. I will never see you  
again, so do not bother coming after me--but know that I  
will be thinking of you as I plunge from the face of  
Quanjing's highest summit. Farewell."  
  
Kodachi chuckled and said, "At last! I'm rid of that foul  
demon-girl!"  
  
Kuno, gathering some bags together, took a spill over  
himself, as Kodachi cackled laughter at her own good  
fortune. She then took a start as she looked at the letter  
again. "Oh, dear! I missed this part--" She continued  
reading, "P.S. There is a legend that whoever jumps from  
this mountain will simply fly away. If I could, I would  
dearly love to see those villains Ranma and his father  
watch me go, but alas, it is too much to hope for."  
  
"My sword!" Kuno cried, "How can I go without my sword?!"  
Kuno looked around frantically.  
  
"Silly boy!" Kodachi said. "How do you expect to take a  
sword through customs?"  
  
Kuno suddenly produced a practice sword and brandished it,  
saying, "I shall just have to be very persuasive."  
  
Kodachi laughed as she gently brushed the sword aside.  
"Now, now, brother dear. One cannot just march through an  
airport with a display of weapons at your side."  
  
"Who said anything about an airport?" Kuno said. "I have no  
intention of flying with the unwashed masses."  
  
"But brother," Kodachi said, somewhat imperious, "you do not  
have a license to fly, and you dismissed the last fifteen  
pilots we had."  
  
"Curses!" Kuno said. "To the airport, then!" He pointed  
with his sword, as he marched toward the door. "No  
sacrifice is too great for my pigtailed goddess!"  
  
***  
  
Sitting around the Tendo living room table, the mood seemed  
to reach a peak of cheerfulness, just as Ranma decided it  
was time to ruin it. Nabiki, who had been anticipating this  
moment, had already fled to her room, but Akane, Soun, and  
Kasumi were there to witness the entire incident.  
  
Ranma grabbed his bags and said, "Okay, Pop. It's time to  
stop fooling around. Time for us to go."  
  
Genma just sat at his place, however, still as a statue.  
  
"Come on," Ranma said. "Better hurry. No telling whether  
Kuno will take off without us."  
  
"Maybe it would be better if--" Kasumi started.  
  
Ranma turned and looked at her, and Kasumi's voice stuck.  
Ranma had a look of grim determination. Ranma nudged Genma,  
and Genma slumped over the table, completely inert.  
  
"Let's go, huh?" Ranma said. "Pop?"  
  
They looked carefully at Genma, but he was completely still.  
Soun chuckled nervously, expecting Genma to look up and  
smile at them.  
  
Ranma nudged Genma again, but Genma remained motionless.  
"Come on, Pop. Stop playin' possum. It ain't gonna work."  
  
Soun and Akane looked on intently, suddenly alerted when  
Kasumi gasped and looked away.  
  
"Pop?" Ranma said, getting anxious. "Stop it, right now!  
It ain't funny! Get up!"  
  
Genma slumped over sideways and lay still on the floor as  
Ranma and the others watched in shock.  
  
"Pop!" Ranma exclaimed. "What the hell--!?"  
  
Akane was already halfway to the phone by the time Ranma  
said, "Hey! Somebody call a doctor! I don't think Pop's  
fakin' it!"  
  
Soun watched with a look of stunned horror, as Kasumi wept  
silently and Ranma slapped Genma gently in the face, but  
no sign of life escaped him.  
  
***  
  
Dr. Tofu said that Genma had been poisoned, and it didn't  
surprise anyone. It also didn't surprise anyone when Ranma  
refused to return to the Tendo home. No one bothered Ranma  
about anything--not about his failed attempt to avenge the  
Amazons, not about his impending nuptials with Akane, and  
certainly not about any left-over English homework he'd  
forgotten in his room.  
  
So, where Ranma went and what befell him the rest of that  
day, no one knew--and if they knew, they didn't tell Akane,  
later.  
  
***  
  
As Kodachi and Tatewaki Kuno started their ascent, Kodachi  
suddenly realized that her beloved Ranma was nowhere to be  
seen and she said, "Brother dear, where is Ranma and his  
father?"  
  
"Huh?" Kuno said, confused. "Why molest my attention with  
such trivia?"  
  
Kodachi, still smiling but very annoyed, said, "Brother  
dear, this whole trip is totally pointless for me unless my  
darling Ranma accompanies me!"  
  
"And how is that my problem?"  
  
"I want off this flight!"  
  
***  
  
To read the rest of this, please visit www.orangeangel.com/forum  
(no pop-up ads, banners or other annoying junk). Please do not  
post any reviews of this here at fanfiction.net. Thanks.  
  



End file.
